Government earmarks €11 million for Railway Terminal

10-10-2008

The Cabinet has decided to make a financial contribution to the development of a Railway Terminal within ACT (near Hoofddorp) for the transport of express goods using the high-speed railway link (HST Cargo). This commitment represents a further step towards realisation of this project.

ACT is part of the Randstad Urgency Programme launched by the government last year in an attempt to speed up the realisation of important projects in the Randstad Metropolitan Area. In response to a proposal by Economic Affairs Minister Van der Hoeven, the Cabinet has made available €11 million for the development of a Railway Terminal near Hoofddorp station linked to the high-speed railway line.

The aim of the project is to facilitate the high-speed rail transport of express goods, flowers and perishables, as an alternative to road transport and night-time flights from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Various public and private parties united in the HST Cargo Initiative Group have pledged support for the project. One condition for the government subsidy is that the project be elaborated in the near future with a view to encouraging the development of a European network.

Alderman Van Dijk of the Municipalityof Haarlemmermeer and Chairman of the HST Cargo Initiative Group applauds the government’s decision: “This commitment by the Cabinet provides a major impulse for the HST Cargo process. The project potentially has a huge sustainability effect on part of the transport to and from the Schiphol region, but it will not get off the ground on its own. With our partners elsewhere in Europe we are working hard to build a European network and satisfy the preconditions for express cargo transport via the high-speed railway line".